


Forever

by tobeaskeleton



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: 16, 17 - Freeform, 18 - Freeform, Aged Up, Angst, First Kiss, M/M, Period Typical Homophobia, Slurs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2019-01-04 11:43:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12168183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tobeaskeleton/pseuds/tobeaskeleton
Summary: Eddie didn't know what was right in front of him this whole time.





	Forever

“Never have I ever,” Eddie begins. “Kissed anyone.” It's not really anything he's ashamed about; they all know. And besides, it's just the germaphobe still in him, that's all. 

Everyone puts a finger down except for Mike.

“What? I'm homeschooled; there's slim pickings,” he defends himself. “Besides, Richie, you're totally lying.”

“I'm sixteen; why wouldn't I have kissed anyone? You calling me a slut, Mike?” 

“No, we’re just wondering what chick in Derry is craziest enough to swap spit with you,” Eddie adds.

“Seriously, who-who was she?” Bill asks, genuinely curious. “Ci-Cindy Davis? Mary Johnson?” 

Richie rolls his eyes nonchalantly, but Eddie can see his cheeks burn red. “It was Eddie’s mom. Next turn: Never have I ever kissed Beverly Marsh.” 

-

It’s mid August when Eddie accidentally finds Richie Tozier kissing another boy.

Eddie’s not even sure who the guy is. They're secluded in a spot in the barrens- one that only the Losers know about. Well, the Losers and now apparently this guy. Whoever he is. 

Eddie freezes in his place, not making a sound as he turns on his heels and discretely sneaks out before his presence has been noticed. But despite his quick escape, the image is ingrained in his brain. Richie had had his hand cupped around the other boy's face, almost tenderly. Too tenderly. Eddie wonders f he might throw up.

Has he always been so blind? Richie… He couldn't be… Could he? 

Not the next day, but the day after that, the Losers are riding their bikes down to the movie theater when Eddie decides that yes. He has been blind. Or maybe it wasn't his fault that he just misread Richie. Every flirty comment, that was just his personality. 

As they walk into the theater, Eddie sees Richie ruffle Bill’s hair. He almost wants to give Bill a warning or something. Instead, he just furrows his eyebrows, trying to reanalyze his entire life. Maybe he imagined it. Maybe there was no boy, but no, because even in his wildest imagination, he wouldn't have seen that. 

It's not really surprising when Richie sits to the right of Eddie. They always sit together, but Eddie doesn't know how to handle it now that he knows what he knows.

“Take a picture it'll last longer.”

Eddie is shaken out of his trance by Richie’s own voice. He feels himself blush, and his insides twist in on themselves. Normally, he would have a rebuttal, but he's left defenseless.

-

Cindy Davis asks Eddie to their junior prom, and he's not really in a position to let her down. Plus, she’s actually kind of pretty, when Eddie really sits down and thinks about it.

The rest of the Losers all pat him on the back, and he feels proud, even though it isn't like he particularly likes Cindy. But he's treated like he isn't the runt of the group for once, and it makes him grin, sheepishly. Maybe the smugness has too much of an effect on him, because after this, he says something he knows he shouldn't.

“What about you, Richie? Did you ask anyone?” 

He can see how hurt Richie is. Because Eddie knows he can't bring the sort of date he wants to bring.

-

Eddie’s eyes are blown wide when Cindy crashes their lips together, moving her tongue into his mouth. They're in the back of Eddie’s moms minivan, which she let him borrow begrudgingly.

The ruffles on her dress nearly got caught on the door when he picked her up.

She pulls away when she realizes he isn't kissing back.

“It's okay,” she whispers. “Just follow my lead.” And as she cups his face, he gets a flashback to Richie with that boy. And wait, Richie… How could Eddie have forgotten? 

Richie is probably alone, Eddie realizes, alone on prom night.

He pulls away from Cindy. 

“Are you a virgin?” she asks him. “It’s okay.”

“No,” Eddie replies, abruptly. “I mean yes, I am, but I'm not going to. Do that.” He hates how transparent he is. “Do anything, really.” 

She scoffs. “Do you even like me?” 

Not like that. “Of course! You're great, you're beautiful-”

“And you're a fag,” she bites back, the words spitting from her tongue, venomously. It turns Eddie’s whole body into a puddle of a boy.

-

The next time Eddie sees Richie and a boy, he has freshly turned seventeen. 

And the “boy” with Richie is more of a man. Eddie feels his arms tighter crossed across his chest, the burning in his throat just barely keeping in a scream.

And then Richie notices.

Looking up at him, his eyes huge behind his coke-bottle glasses, Richie pushes the guy away, and the other guy, realizing they had been caught, flees the scene. He just leave him there! Behind the Derry library all alone. Richie, despite still towering over Eddie, looks small, his arms hugging himself.

“And people told me I was a fag,” Eddie scoffs. 

Sometimes the words you want to say don't come out quite right. 

“Eddie…” Richie’s voice is small. “You-you don't hate me, do you?”

Eddie looks at his shoes. 

“Please.” 

“I don't hate you, but I don't understand, Richie! I defend your ass when people call you a queer, but I guess I was wrong.” Eddie’s voice grows louder and shriller with each word; he tries to be intimidating but only comes across as scared.

“You don't have to tell anyone,” Richie replies. “We can be the only people who know.”

“Us and that guy. Who even is he? I mean fine, you're gay, but you could do better than him,” Eddie bites back. 

Richie rolls his eyes. “Who do you suggest? How many gay men do you think live in Derry?” This makes Eddie laugh a little, his body relaxing slightly.

“But if you try to make a pass at me, I swear-”

Richie winks. “Don't worry, your mom is more than enough Kaspbrack for me.”

Eddie glances down at Richie’s lips, almost subconsciously, and then immediately averts his gaze. But Richie notices. They lock eyes, and Eddie’s heart hammers. He can't help but to notice that even looking at Richie like this feels better than kissing Cindy.

Richie takes a step closer to him, and it feels like the whole world is collapsing around them. And then Richie grabs Eddie’s head with his hands, his eyes searching for permission to close the gap between them. But Eddie acts first, leaning in the rest of the way, kissing Richie angrily. 

Richie kisses back. He opens his mouth. Eddie pulls away.

“I have to go,” Eddie says. And then he runs.

“You're a pussy, you know that?” Richie calls after him, but he's out of earshot. 

-

 

Eddie doesn't talk to Richie for the rest of their junior year. But that doesn't mean they don't look at each other in the halls, and it doesn't mean Eddie's chest doesn't burn whenever he passes Richie.

And during the summer, all of the Losers, despite being a bit disconnected, are reunited when they learn that Ben is moving away. They meet at the barrens, late at night, Richie showing up with a joint between his lips and a smug grin.

“It's been a while you ugly fuckers,” he says, announcing his presence. Eddie looks up from his shoes and smiles despite himself. 

“Hey, its Ri-Richie!”

“And it's B-B-Bill!” 

Bill pats Richie on the back, and Eddie looks away. They all sit in a circle, Richie on the opposite side as Eddie, because he doesn't want to push it. They smoke, talk about memories, the good ones not the scary clown ones, and about Beverly Marsh. They wonder how she's doing, if she's still with her aunt.

And they all hug Ben, because it's what’s right, but then they don't hug each other. Richie, on his way out, gives Eddie a small smile that asks, “Are we okay?” And Eddie gives an eye roll back that says, “Of course we are, asshole.” 

-

They don't hang out alone, not ever, but they sometimes will hang out with Bill and Stan and Mike. Richie never dares to do as much as brush against Eddie, and Eddie appreciates it, but also wishes it were different at the same time. During senior year, it feels dumb to care about little things that brought them apart, so the Losers are reunited before they separate again.

-

It's the night after their graduation, and Richie has, surprisingly enough, dedicated himself to a good school, and Eddie has as well. Two places across the country from each other.

The two boys are alone for the first time in years, sitting on Richie’s roof. Eddie doesn't care how he ended up here, he's just glad to have Richie for a second before their lives split forever.

“I heard people are a lot more open-minded in college,” Eddie tells Richie. “Much more open to-” 

“Sucking dick?”

Eddie laughs. “Yes, that.” Richie shakes his head, drawing his knees to his chest. He's still a little gangly, though he's definitely grown into himself since they were thirteen. Everything is changing, and it's so final, that the night seems surreal. Eddie doesn't know what to say, but he's not afraid. 

“Or you know, just-” Eddie begins. He looks into Richie’s eyes, which are wide under the moonlight. “Just-” He kisses him.

It's barely even a kiss. Eddie leans in, connects their lips, but leaves his hands at his own sides. It's almost like they just bump into each other.

“You can't forget about me,” Eddie says. “When you get all that bicurious college dick.”

Richie smiles so big it makes his eyes get all squinty. “I could never forget about you.” He lies down, their arms brushing together. “I could never forget about you, Eddie Spaghetti. You're too fucking weird.”

“If you call me that ever again-”

“-then what? Are you gonna kiss me to death?”

“Shut up.”

“Make me.”

Eddie leans over and properly kisses Richie this time, though he has trouble not smiling while he does it. Richie opens his mouth wider, and Eddie could care less about the transfer of germs. All he cares about is Richie.

“I'll never forget you, Eds. I'll wait forever for you,” Richie whispers. Eddie rolls his eyes.

“Don't be ridiculous. You are way too much of a horndog,” Eddie replies, playing with Richie’s curls. “I don't want you to be celibate. I just want you to come back to me.” 

“We’ll be married by then.”

“We’re two guys.”

“I've never been a law-abiding citizen. Don't you know I'm a badass?” Richie replies, poking Eddie’s shoulder. 

“Whatever you say, Trashmouth.”


End file.
